NZXT Source 530 Case Review

NZXT Source 530 Introduction:

Today we take a look at the NZXT Source 530, which is the newest entry into the Source lineup. NZXT is a Los Angeles-based company founded in 2004, which makes it a relatively new company compared to the competition. That being said, NZXT is one of the bigger players in the chassis market, from the ground breaking H series, which are a completely silent chassis, to the heavy hitter Phantom. NZXT has branched out even further to provide the customers with a wide range of power supplies, fans and, of course, case accessories.

With a few features like a built-in fan controller, up to nine fans, and assortment of advance water cooling support, the Source series is NZXT’s answer to an affordable chassis without sacrificing performance. Priced at $89.99, it potentially has a lot to offer that puts it ahead of the game in its price range. So let's dive into the review and see what the NZXT Source 530 has to offer.

NZXT Source 530 Closer Look:

Following the trend previously set, I am going to dive right into looking at the chassis after it has taken out of the box. In all honestly unless the box has some major flaw or relates to the product itself, there is not much being missed. If you must know, the box was brown with the specifications listed on the side. Enough about that, here you have the NZXT Source 530, which has its own unique look to stand out from the crowd. The front flaunts the growing trend of three 5.25" expansion bays, along with a few different fan options for the lower half that I will cover later on. The back side of the chassis includes a 140mm fan with eight PCIe expansion slots and spacing for a bottom mounted power supply. Next, the left panel includes a triangular-shaped window allowing most of the motherboard tray to be revealed, but keeping the wires and unnecessary components hidden. Flipping the chassis around, you will find a solid black panel with the power and reset buttons at the front side of the panel.

With the ability to mount up to three 140mm fans or a 360mm radiator, the top of the chassis can be considered a major selling point. If extra fans or water cooling are not your idea of a good selling point, NZXT has a bit more to offer. On the bottom side of the chassis includes two separate removable dust filters - one for the power supply and the other for covering bottom fan mounts. The filters came out fairly easily and, unlike other designs, these stayed in place as I moved the chassis around quite a bit. However, being a smaller full tower has its disadvantages; from my observation it will be fairly hard to use either of the bottom fan mounts without sacrificing a 3.5" bay or needing a smaller power supply. Overall, I like to have an option to install the fans even if I cannot use it rather than not having it at all. Just be aware that the "up to nine fans" advertising includes these fans in the count.